NBA hasn't always dealt fines for anti-gay remarks

The NBA hasn't always taken swift and decisive action against players who make anti-gay slurs, like the $100,000 fine that was dealt Kobe Bryant yesterday.

During the 2009 playoffs Denver's Kenyon Martin spewed homophobic profanity at Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban that was more obscene than Bryant's outburst.

And although Martin was fined $25,000 during that Western Conference semifinals series for a hard hit on Dirk Nowitzki, he wasn't disciplined for the outburst at Cuban.

Here's the YouTube of Martin's tirade, but be forewarned that the language is XXX-rated.

The other notable example of the NBA's reaction to such talk came in 2007, when Tim Hardaway's "I hate gay people" remark resulted in him being banished from All-Star Weekend activities in Las Vegas. But he wasn't fined.

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About Reid and Mike

Reid Cherner has been with USA TODAY since 1982 and written Game On! since March 2008.

He has covered everything from high schools to horse racing to the college and the pros. The only thing he likes more than his own voice is the sound of readers telling him when he's right and wrong.

Michael Hiestand has covered sports media and marketing for USA TODAY, tackling the sports biz ranging from what's behind mega-events such as the Olympics and Super Bowl to the sometimes-hidden numbers behind the sports world's bottom line.